Wednesday, January 24, 2007

fables of the restructuring

“Somewhere near the end it said you can't do this, I said I can too!” What does a line from ‘Gravity’s Pull’ from REM’s Fables of the Reconstruction have to do with restructuring you ask? Well not much, but since I was educated in Athens, I’m quickly reminded of my days in the ClassicCity.

Back to the backbench. Today, the Senate took up government restructuring. Y'all know that the governor has campaigned and won on government restructuring as part of his overall plan of reform. In this case, Governor Sanford wants the currently-elected constitutional officers, such as the Secretary of State and Comptroller General, to become appointed officers within his cabinet. Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted out six bills on the issue. They would allow the voters to decide if they want the following officers appointed by the governor:

1-Adjutant General 4-Secretary of Agriculture2-Comptroller General 5-Secretary of State3-Superintendent of Education

The sixth bill would allow voters to decide if the governor and lieutenant governor should run as a ticket.

Now if these bills simply removed these officers from the ballot and placed them in the Governor’s cabinet, I might pause and pick some and leave others. That is not the case. These initiatives will change SC’s constitution. Each bill must get 2/3 of the General Assembly and then get final approval by the citizens. So I would like to give you the opportunity to see the whole slate, and you can pick and choose which offices you’d like to continue to elect, and which one’s you’d like to see appointed.

We've already seen the erection of a straw man as the opposition argued on Tuesday that no one in his district ever comes up to him and says that this or that office should be appointed by the governor. The excuse was being made for an imminent "no" vote. The reality is, however, is that the Senate will simply decide as to whether we trust the public or not.Does your senator trust you? Let me know.